I Know You
by ManeStella
Summary: Now queen of two kingdoms, Aurora is loved by all her subjects, most of all by Maleficent. Yet as the young queen comes to realize that she loves Maleficent deeper than anyone knows, Maleficent battles with opening up to Aurora, from fear of suffering heartache once more and more importantly, fear of subjecting her true love to the same fate.
1. That Look in Your Eyes

**a/n: **This is a malora (Maleficent/Aurora) fic. It takes place just after the end of the movie. If you are opposed to a romantic element to their relationship you do not have to read. For those you who will read this, I thank you! Reviews are welcome and add to my writing morale. Rated M for later chapters. Enjoy!

(I don't own jack shit, unfortunately.)

* * *

Dazzling.

Dazzling in the sunlight, like a ray of beauty and love in tangible form. A brilliant smile beneath messy golden locks splayed out into the air around her as she spun and danced and laughed, nearly tossing the crown from her head.

Maleficent found her own lips pulled back in a full smile, real and fresh. That girl's smile was contagious, but it was a sort of infection that one could sink into gratefully, happily.

After a quick flight around the Moors to stretch her wings, as she was still growing accustomed to their return, she had settled on a small rock ledge above Aurora's coronation, yet had not re-approached the girl. This was something she was familiar with, watching Aurora from a distance with a protective eye. And over the years, a loving eye at that.

The boy, Prince Phillip was there as well. He had been invited, as it turned out by the pixie trio: Knotgrass, Flittle, and Thistlewit. He made to approach the queen; Maleficent's eyes flashed green as she watched.

"Won't you join us fairy godmother!" Aurora called, after finding her balance from a twirl, fay flittering and zipping around the girl in some sort of ridiculous celebratory dance.

Spreading her wings against the sky, Maleficent leapt from the cliff and let her wings carry her down the air current and settle gracefully to the ground in front of Aurora, giving a last flap before they folded behind her. Diaval followed behind in his original form. She noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that the young prince shrunk away at Maleficent's arrival. She made a soft sound of prideful approval at the boy's display of fear.

"As my queen commands." Maleficent turned her gaze to Aurora and smiled softly down at her.

The smile dropped from Aurora's face, her head tilting a bit to the side, a sudden seriousness altering her body language, concern in her summer sky eyes, "No, never a command, not for you."

The fairy's eyebrows raised slightly, "Then as my queen _wishes_."

That lovely glow returned to her face as Aurora's lips pulled back into a smile and she reached for Maleficent hands, "Commands do not apply to fairy godmothers."

A gentleness came over her, as the fairy looked down at her strong hands in Aurora's smaller one's, she ran her thumb over the top of the queen's knuckles and across the space between her thumbs and forefingers, her skin was soft as a baby bird's down feathers, and pretty things for hands. She had for years she had deflected and pulled away from the girl's touch and now she not only welcomed it, but found that she yearned for even the smallest of contact.

Suddenly Aurora pulled her hands away and did a sort of twirl in front of her, spinning sunbeams everywhere, one hand holding onto her gold leaf crown as she did so to keep it on her head, "What do you think of my dress?"

Aurora's beauty surpassed that of any human or fay she had ever come across, and any that existed as far as Maleficent was concerned.

"It's a lovely dress for a little beastie."

* * *

The fairy folk had finally begun to tire and settle from the excitement of the day as the sun lowered itself to lie upon the horizon, resting there for a moment before making its final decent into night.

"You've wondered off again." Aurora announced as wandered over and sat down heavily next to Maleficent beneath a drooping tree, the winged woman sat with her wings lay on either side of her, overlooking a stream bordered by tall grasses.

"Too much excitement for me." she smiled softly, "And I much prefer watching you than needlessly chatting with the three dimwitted fools."

Aurora scoffed, "You mustn't be so mean! They do try their hardest. Besides, they raised me."

Maleficent chuckled darkly, "No, they merely succeeded in not getting you killed for sixteen years. And even that is a stretch."

Lacing her fingers together, Aurora smiled up at Maleficent, "I was always safe with you around."

The protector of the Moors raised her arm and lifted her wing up a bit, motioning for Aurora to sit closet to her, the girl did so and Maleficent brought her arm around Aurora's shoulders, the young queen leaning against her, she closed her eyes and sighed. Maleficent leaned her head down to kiss Aurora on her temple, just as she had done not too long ago, in utter despair at losing the one person that had taken the last of her heart and given her so much more in return.

They sat there like that for some time, silently enjoying each other's company.

"You know, I'm actually glad. For the curse I mean." She said before yawning, the day had worn her out.

Maleficent stiffened and turned to look at the girl, shock plain on her face, "Your life would have been far different." She would have a mother and father, have lived a life of luxury and comfort. If not for Maleficent's own rage and jealousy.

The queen smiled up at her, "If not for the curse, I might not have known you and you might still be alone and sad, and I'm glad I helped in some way to make you happy."

"I was not alone, there is Diaval."

Aurora chuckled, "Are you saying that he _is_ your friend?"

Maleficent did not reply to that but merely continued to smile down at her queen.

"I know you. I was born for you." Aurora said, holding Maleficent' golden, emerald gaze.

Maleficent gave a chuckle in the back of her throat, amused, "Now that is where you are wrong. For I know _you_, and the sun was not made to rise for the moon."

"Oh fairy godmother!" Aurora sat up on her knees and placed a hand on either of Maleficent shoulders, she leaned in and kissed the smooth expanse of Maleficent's cheek as the last glimmer of coppery daylight shone across the Moors, before inevitably being swallowed up by the night. The girl's hands moved to cup each side of the fairy's face, the tips of her fingers brushing Maleficent ears and hair.

Her hands were just as warm and soft as they had been before, and Maleficent was very aware of how close she and Aurora had become, emotionally and at this moment, physically. Probably the closest they had ever been.

There was something different in Aurora's eyes as they flickered back and forth across the face of the fairy. She was searching the fairy's face, seeking something under the calm and collected expression that was Maleficent mask.

"Beastie." Was all that Maleficent said, her hand coming up to the small of Aurora's back, brining her even closer.

"I know you." Aurora repeated, a statement of confirmation.

She leaned in, her eyes fluttering closed and her sweet breath against Maleficent's lips so close to touching the girl's own, just before the fairy blew a swirl of golden dust softly against the girl's face and she fell limp against Maleficent chest into a gentle sleep.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, wrapping her arms around the slumbering girl. "But I can't."

Darkness had fallen across the Moors once more.


	2. Joyfully Now to Our Princess We Come

**a/n:** I told myself I was going to update once a week but I got so excited about this fic I've been writing whenever I have the free time to do so. Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and positive opinions! I hope I don't disappoint.

* * *

Aurora awoke in the familiarity of the attic bedroom of her cottage home, where she had spent all her life up until recently. She breathed in the scent of gardenia flowers, lavender, and wisteria vine that grew throughout the room along with ivy that peeked out from the walls and dusty draperies. Turning her head she spotted the golden leafed crown on the small table next to her bed. Daylight filtered in through the window, bathing the room in soft, white gold.

She turned back to the ceiling and closed her eyes.

Maleficent had not let Aurora kiss her.

Maleficent, her fairy godmother.

Her shadow, her protector. Her true love.

A sudden sob escaped her lips and she covered her mouth, the weeping came on with the violence of a thunderstorm. Turning to her side, she gripped the bed sheets as her body shook with the force of her realization. The disappointment, embarrassment, and fear that Maleficent might only love her in a maternal sense, and that she might have made a grave mistake and ruined something beautiful.

Impulsive, she was so impulsive.

In all her excitement she had been too bold. The bond of love that she and Maleficent shared might exclude the strange urges that bubbled up inside of Aurora, she merely wanted to be closer to her distant guardian. Including a physical way that she did not fully comprehend. A year ago she would not have been so perturbed by Maleficent's barriers, but this rejection hurt to an extent she could not fully grasp.

Once the sobs had died down Aurora rose from the bed and rubbed her puffy eyes.

"I will fix this." She said to herself in a near whisper.

She had to speak to Maleficent about last night, had to apologize, make it up to the fairy. She could not go back to the days where Maleficent kept herself to the shadows, hiding from her.

She jumped up from the bed and made to run from the room, but stopped and grabbed the crown as an afterthought.

As she opened the door and sunlight splashed into her eyes, the thought struck her.

Perhaps Maleficent had been afraid.

* * *

"Fairy godmother!" Aurora called, partly walking, partly jogging through the woods to the boarder of the Moors where thorn walls had once stood; a rush of nostalgia came to her as she recalled being in a similar state on the eve of her sixteenth birthday. "Fairy godmother!"

Things were different then, she did not understand how Maleficent had been suffering all those years. Now she did, now she had the whole story and she would do everything in her power to keep her fairy godmother from being hurt so badly again. The thought of causing Maleficent pain felt as if she were taking a blade to her own heart.

The sound of feathers against wind and a gust of air from behind, "I am here."

Aurora whipped around to face the fairy; a stony expression of indifference met her. What Aurora had once thought was stoicism, was, she realized, another wall Maleficent had built for herself. It was a mask.

"Maleficent I'm sorry I-" she blurted but the winged woman raised a hand to halt her words.

"No need to apologize, I am not upset."

The queen let out a sigh of relief and took a few steps closer, timidly, "Then we're just as we were?"

Maleficent nodded and her face finally cracked into a small smile, "We are just as we were." She reached out a hand to touch Aurora's tear stained cheek. The queen lay her own hand over Maleficent's and gave her a watery smile.

She braced herself to tell Maleficent the truth of what had been welling up inside her of late, the reason why she had tried to kiss her fairy godmother. She opened her mouth to speak, but the cawing of a crow cut her off and Maleficent withdrew her hand. Their private moment was over.

"Into a man." Maleficent said as she flicked her fingers and the crow swooping down and stumbled into the form of a human.

"Why must you always do that!" he said, scornfully as he caught himself, "Always in mid flight!"

The fairy only gave a quiet sound of amusement and smirked.

* * *

Aurora tucked a foot onto the strap of the saddle and pulled herself up, swinging her leg over, Maleficent steadied the young queen by holding her waist, Aurora was very aware of the contact and she blushed. As she settled onto the horse, Maleficent's hands left her and she was looking down upon the fairy. Behind Aurora awaited the royal guard to escort her back to her human kingdom, to the stone walls of a castle that she did not feel was truly her home.

"You know, they would rather me sit side saddle instead of astride. The men say it is not lady like, but I think it is silly to sit sidesaddle." She said to try lightening the situation.

Maleficent tried not to show it, but Aurora knew all of the iron clad soldiers made her uneasy, for her eyes were more green than gold and she continued to cast a threatening gaze at them. That would have to go, she thought. No more iron. She had the power to protect the fay now, just as Maleficent protected her from the human world of vanity and oppression that she was beginning to take notice of. Even if that protection had been unintentional at first.

"I would much rather live here in the Moors with you." The queen said, "Like you promised I could."

Maleficent turned her attention fully to Aurora and her expression softening, "The promise stands. This is no less your home than that castle." She inclined her horned head towards the home she had left sixteen years ago.

"It is more so." She extended her hand, reaching out for Maleficent. For a moment, she worried that her fairy godmother might not take it, but just then, Maleficent's hands came to cover her own and squeezed lightly. "I will return as soon as I'm able."

Maleficent's hands dropped, "Off with you now, beastie."

Aurora laughed and took hold of her reigns, throwing one last brilliant smile at Maleficent before galloping off into the mist.

* * *

She waited.

And waited.

And waited longer still.

Aurora did not return. Not for a day, then another, then a week, then a fortnight, then a month, then several more.

Diaval took flights back and forth the two kingdoms on a constant basis at the insistent demands of his mistress. Gathering news of the happenings in the human kingdom and the state and activity of the queen.

So far Aurora was neither dead nor dying as far as Diaval could tell. Still Maleficent worried about her extended absence. She could not remember going so long without so much as a glimpse of the girl.

"Well?"

In his human form, Diaval leaned forward, hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath, these missions were beginning to weigh on him physically.

"What did you see of Aurora?" Maleficent said, annoyance in her tone.

"This time…I saw," he huffed, "nothin'."

Maleficent glowered at him, "If you continue in your lack of usefulness you can look forward to a long life as a dog, sniffing in the dirt and licking your own-"

"Wait wait!" he straightened up, "You have a nasty temper about ya', you know? You miss her, I understand. I miss her. And she's got to be missin' you somthin' awful too."

The horned fairy pursed her lips and resisted the urge to zap him into a worm.

"I didn't see nothin' of Aurora this time but I did hear some rumors this time."

"And?" her wings twitched.

"And…" he looked at the ground, then back up at Maleficent, "And there is a rumor that an…an engagement might be made."

Maleficent gave a short, cruel laugh and smiled to cover her hurt, "An engagement? Between Aurora and who? That fool of a boy?"

"Prince Phillip, yes. But it is only a rumor."

The talk of a marriage between Aurora and Phillip was nothing new in the Moors. Knotgrass, Flittle, and Thistlewit prattled almost non stop about a grand romance between the two. Though if now it were talk even in the human kingdom…

Maleficent turned her back to Diaval as she attempted control the familiar feeling of betrayal and to keep the tears from escaping her eyes.

It was happening all over again. Stefan, all over again. Aurora spending her youth and misleading childhood love on her, leaving with a promise of return only to succumb to human ambitions of power, to marry and leave her. Leave her scarred and alone.

Aurora had returned her wings, she reminded herself, not taken them.

Aurora had returned her heart and affection, not squandered and spoiled it.

No, Aurora was not Stefan, this was her beastie. Her kind hearted, beautiful, precious beastie that watched the water dancers with wander and splashed around in the mud, her beastie that treated every living creature with kindness. There were similarities to the past, but the story would not be the same.

"Thank you, Diaval."

She did not see the man shaped crow drop his jaw and stare at her in surprise of her statement.

Maleficent spread her wings.

"The world must be comin' to an end if the great Maleficent is grateful to a bird."

She turned him back to his original form, mainly to just shut him up before lifting her wings into the air and pushing herself up from the ground with the force of the strength Aurora had given back to her.

* * *

There was a great rushing sound at her balcony window, a sound she knew instantly. Feathers brushing against the night. Immediately Aurora was out of bed, tossing the covers off and running to the glass door of the balcony and throwing it open, finding exactly who she had been expecting. Who she needed.

Maleficent's figure was silhouetted by moonlight, the same moonlight settled into Aurora's hair and turned it a liquid silver that fell like a waterfall over her shoulders and down her back and then Maleficent was drowning in it as Aurora's arms wrapped tight around her middle and the fairy breathed in the smell of her. Even at this hour of blackness her beastie smelled of spring.

"Oh I missed you, I missed you, I missed you! I couldn't leave, I'm sorry, you were waiting for me, but I knew you would come for me, oh I just knew." She spoke in a passionate rush, her cheek pressed against Maleficent's chest, her embrace tight and warm.

Maleficent said nothing, but kept her arms around the girl for a long moment, letting relief wash over her, her earlier fears dissipating into nothing but a shadow of a memory. Replaced with revived joy and complete and utter adoration for this girl.

"And I missed you, sweet Aurora."


	3. True Love Conquers All

**a/n: **Warning: this is a Maleficent x Aurora fic, there will be a romantic/sexual element to their relationship.

* * *

In the darkness, it would have been so easy to pull Aurora's chin up, lean down, and lay a kiss on her waiting lips. It was easy to give into darker impulses when the light of day could not reveal them.

But instead Maleficent let her arms fall from the queen's moonlit hair and took a step back from the girl. Regret had no business being associated with Aurora.

Aurora smiled though, and took the fairy's hand to lead her slowly into the bedchambers.

This castle did not hold pleasant memories for either of them, and Aurora had a keen sense of what hurt Maleficent and so handled the situation with gentility.

Once inside, she let her hand slip from Maleficent's and lit a candle next to her large, four-poster bed. Very similar to the bed she was meant to spend the rest of her life sleeping in, under a scarred fairy's vengeful spell.

Instead Aurora had cast her own enchantment upon Maleficent.

The candle had a warm glow that settled attractively against Aurora's features, "Where would you like to sit, godmother?" she asked.

Casting a glance around the room, Maleficent realized there weren't many options. The room was rather barren of resting places amidst the colorful, decorative nature of the bedchamber. There was an uncomfortably stiff looking chair near the corner of the room, but her wings would be pressed against it awkwardly.

"The bed is fine."

So Aurora hitched up her white nightgown and plopped down on the mattress, crossing her legs. She looked up at Maleficent with a happy expectancy, waiting for her to sit as well.

Maleficent approached and ran her hand over the duvet, recalling the memory of despair of losing Aurora. Her fight to the death with Stefan had not been nearly so horrifying as the thought of never being whiteness to Aurora's smile again. Then the memory of waking her princess, now her queen, with a kiss of true love. Regaining her wings, and meeting Aurora's eyes, knowing that she had been saved due to the young girl. She would have died for Aurora that night, and any night that followed, she would still. Maleficent carefully settled onto the edge of the bed, her wings flexing behind her, one against the bed and the other draping over its left side as she turned to face the queen, noticing that Aurora was watching the movement of her wings.

"Can I touch them?" Aurora asked, awed.

Maleficent thought it over for a moment before giving the girl a small nod. Aurora leaned over and the bed groaned under the weight of her movement as she crawled bit-by-bit closer to the wing across the bed. She extended her hand slowly, as if Maleficent might retreat like a frightened fawn.

"Oh." She uttered as her hand glided along the outer feathers. Maleficent's shoulders fell, relaxing against the girl's touch. "You didn't tell me they were soft as well as strong."

Maleficent smiled widely, pride filling her, "I would not have them without you."

Aurora turned her smiling face up at Maleficent as she continued to gently stroke the wing. Hair loosely framing her face.

She let Aurora continue to pet her wing for some time before speaking again, "You have not returned for some time. I began to worry. You sent no word. I began sending Diaval to check on you." She did not mention the rumors of the engagement to Prince Phillip. She could not force the words from her mouth. Besides it was merely talk from the riff raff. No substance to it. People would talk.

Aurora let her hand fall from the feathers and turned her attention to Maleficent. There she was, so close again. "I wanted to…" she bit her lip, "But…there was so much to be done, so much King Stefan, my father, had ignored. I didn't want to burden you, to make you worry. I thought I could handle it by myself. And yet there are rules to running a kingdom that I could not have even fathomed before. And the council! Oh they treat me like a child!"

At that Maleficent chuckled, "My dear, you are a child. A kind and wonderful child, but a child still."

In a quiet voice, "Is that why you would not kiss me?"

All sound was sucked from the room and the question hung there in the air between them, everything was still and Maleficent could only stare at Aurora, bold and beautiful Aurora.

There were storm clouds in her sky blue eyes, real pain hidden there.

"What?"

The young queen twisted the hem of her nightgown in her hand, starring down at it to hide her reddened face, "I-you…fairy godmother why would you not let me kiss you?" she turned her piercing gaze back to Maleficent, begging for a reason.

Maleficent did not answer. She was not quite sure as to the reason herself. She just couldn't. There was want, yes. But she could not let Aurora kiss her.

"I love you."

Maleficent turned her eyes away from Aurora, closing them. This pure light was relentlessly shining into her life, trying to brighten the corners of her darkened past, pushing past the horizon at an alarming rate. Even with her wings she was falling into that light, it was swallowing her. All consuming in its warm embrace.

She willed herself not to let a tear escape, kept her eyes closed as Aurora moved closer, bringing her hands up to either side of the fairy's face, gently. "Please look at me godmother." Her voice was full of concern, full of love, and Maleficent could not ignore such a plea. So she opened her eyes and faced her queen.

"You don't have to be scared." Aurora told her in a near whisper, "I am not my father."

Maleficent's lips parted just slightly. There were so many thoughts crashing wildly against each other in her mind, she was unable to form them into proper words. Unable to communicate the intensity with which she adored Aurora. How could she possibly deserve this child?

The fairy took hold of Aurora's hands carefully and guided them away from her face, "I know. But…this love, perhaps you are confused about what kind of love it is."

"It's true love." She said with conviction.

"Even if everyone in the world thinks me naïve and foolish, I know that the love between you and I is the most beautiful. I am not confused, Maleficent I know I want to kiss you, I know I…" she blushed, unable to finish her thought and instead gazed down at where Maleficent's hands held her own.

The fairy brought Aurora's hand to her full, red lips and kissed them delicately. Aurora gasped, "I do not think you foolish." Maleficent said quietly.

"We don't have to kiss like lovers. Not if that brings you discomfort. We don't even have to kiss. I just want you to know that I love you. And to know that I want to be with you, always. I am between two worlds now, I want you to be a part of both of them."

Here Aurora was, tired and scared and alone in this castle, with few familiar faces and no previous guidance in her role as a leader, thrown into the thick of it. And here she was trying to make life more comfortable for Maleficent.

Brilliant golden, forest brimmed eyes flickered up to Aurora's face, "If that is what you wish." She could not help but smile as Aurora's face lit up.

The once vengeful, angry fairy loved Aurora with ever bit of her being. It filled all of her body and her spirit brimmed with it, Aurora was the wind and sun and sky. She did not have to return the sentiment of love in words. Words did not seem enough.

Aurora knew though.

The queen smiled back and moved to embrace the fairy; Maleficent's wings came around her like a shield of protectiveness.

"I will help you rule in any way I am able. If you will have it."

"Have it? I need it!" Aurora laughed into the hug, "But not tonight. I want to get to know my fairy godmother tonight."

* * *

That night, they talked.

Aurora wanted to know every detail of Maleficent's life up until they had met. The good and bad. She smiled when Maleficent spoke of meeting the young boy that would be king, and cried when she was told of the night Maleficent lost her wings. The fairy herself felt her eyes water. Aurora cried so hard, felt the offense so personally that Maleficent had to take the girl in her arms once again as Aurora found it a comfort being there. When it came to the years of watching Aurora grow, Maleficent spoke teasingly of Aurora's childhood escapades. As the night wore on the queen found it increasingly difficult to keep her eyelids from falling, until finally she was asleep there in Maleficent's arms.

Carefully, Maleficent lifted the queen and laid her down, pulling the blankets over her sleeping form up to her shoulders. For a long moment, Maleficent stood there, watching her beastie sleep. It was a captivating sight. She leaned down and brushed a stray lock of hair from Aurora's face before laying a kiss softly against her forehead.

Looking at her now, she seemed much like that girl not too long ago who was cursed to spend the rest of her life in a state of dreaming, forever dead to the world. Now though, she was burdened with the weight of a crown and the knowledge of the past. Even in that little time between then and now Aurora had grown wiser. She had an intuition to her and a love for all living things. She had a purity that no one could dream to compare themselves to.

How badly she wanted to kiss Aurora on her sweet lips. For years she had held an ambiguous love for the girl, a love she hadn't realized was growing there in her heart, it had been entangled in too many weeds and thorny vines until it was nearly too late to save. Aurora's love for her had bloomed nonetheless, even after learning that Maleficent was the evil in the world that had cursed her when she was nothing but a new born babe. With a kiss the curse was lifted and a truth revealed. Now Aurora lay before her, innocent in this moment as the day she was born.

In truth the depth and honesty of Aurora's love frightened her. If she abused that love, she would never be able to live with herself. It was unforgivable. That fear kept her from giving in, from testing the waters of this new form of love that Aurora wanted from her, and that she wanted herself. Instead she would sate herself with smiles and laughs and embraces.

"Sweet dreams, my beastie." Maleficent whispered.

The candle had burned low and Maleficent blew out the last of its light.

* * *

**a/n:** I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, reviews are always welcomed!


	4. True Love's Kiss

**A/N**: I'm so sorry it's been forever and ever since I updated! My usual excuse: school, work, life. I hope those of you still willing to read will enjoy this chapter and the rest to come!

* * *

"Your highness! Slow down, please!"

Aurora let the shouts of the men fall behind her, she could wait no longer. Not now, not when the Moors were in sight, the large stones standing as sentry for the fairy folk had been looming in the distance for hours and were now, finally, so near. She could not help but to take up a gallop, racing towards them. Now with each stride she drew nearer to her real home. Nearer to Maleficent.

A few men had been sent ahead as sentry, she could see them now, slowing her stead as she approached, all but one of them sat astride their mounts. The queen looked about her as she neared, looking for Maleficent. The man who was not ahorse rushed towards her to help her dismount, but Aurora was already swinging down. She had spent too long cooped up behind stonewalls and forced to act the part of a royal lady when her heart longed to be here, to run free and enjoy the splendor of the open air and blooming flowers. To let her feet touch dewy grass and to dance with the fair folk. The closer she came to the Moors the boulder she became, leaving the stiffness of her father's tradition behind her.

"Maleficent! Maleficent!" Aurora called, out of breath as she took up a quick gait towards the boarder.

Taken aback for a moment by her abrupt behavior, the sentry fumbled to regain his composure; he was younger, not as stern as those who had served the late king longer, "Y-your majesty! We've scouted this area and there has been no sight of the-"

There was a shout from the other men and with a gust of wind and the sound of thick feathers against the air, the horned fairy descended.

Aurora gave a squeal of delight and threw herself into Maleficent's arms, "Oh I've missed you!"

For a few seconds, Maleficent was stiff in her embrace, but softened after a moment, her arms encircling the queen with a whispered, "I missed you as well, beastie. But you are not in the Moors quite yet."

_Oh. _

The gentle words brought her back to the realization that she had displayed a behavior very unbecoming of a monarch. Aurora dropped her arms and backed away a bit, straightening her skirts and then her back, raised her chin. She looked to the fairy for approval.

With a smile tugging at the edges of her lips, Maleficent gave a small nod and Aurora turned to face her men. Those of the sentry wore expressions of recovering bewilderment. The main guard was making its way across the field; a few of those who had followed on Aurora's heels reigned up to the stones and were beginning to dismount.

They all fussed over her, worried mostly. Some of the men even called out praise of her unusually man-like riding ability for such a delicate looking queen. The captain of her personal guard, though exasperated, kept his anger well handled. Although if it was out of respect for his queen or fear of Maleficent who stood behind her that he did not reprimand her, Aurora was not sure.

Originally, it had been planned for a whole battalion to be deployed for her protection on a visit to the Moors, but Aurora had argued against it. The council had said they wanted to ensure her protection, but even as young and inexperienced, as she was, Aurora knew that doing so would intimidate the fairy folk and make them uneasy. The merger was new and there was still tension between the two kingdoms. Though there were no fairy folk that meant Aurora harm, they were perfectly peaceful if unprovoked. She thought one or two men with her would suffice. So in the end a compromise had been made, a personal guard was formed, a company of thirty men, much to the displeasure of her council yet still too large in Aurora's opinion. They would not actually enter the Moors though; again a demand that had put the council and the captain of her guard on edge, but Aurora would not budge on that part at least.

Although she did hope for the two kingdoms to live in harmony, Maleficent had advised that activity between them too quickly could do more harm than good.

"Are you sure you don't want a few men with you in there?" the captain asked, nodding towards the Moors where the wall of thorns had once stood. A dark look came over his features then, the siege on the wall not too far gone in his memory.

"I thank you for the concern, but I assure you, I will come to no harm in the Moors."

With a final queenly nod to her company, Aurora turned from the world of men and, with Maleficent began to make her way towards her kingdom of fairies.

* * *

"You made good time." Maleficent noted as they walked. She had been silent up until they were out of view from the guard.

Aurora slipped her hand into Maleficent's and the fairy entwined her fingers with the girl's almost immediately. The queen smiled. The first few times Aurora had attempted to do this, Maleficent had been reluctant, but ever so slowly she had given in to the insistent gentleness, Aurora was always patient, letting the fairy become comfortable with these little physical acts of affection in increments.

"I might have rushed them a bit. It's just been so long! Each time between visits feels like longer than the last. And I don't see you often enough for my liking. Then when I do it's only long enough to discuss my duties and how to go about being queen-like." she sighed, looking down at their hands with a sweet smile, cheeks pink, "I just miss you so fiercely."

"And I you." More than Aurora knew. She relished every bit of the girl, every touch and word, though she was careful not to let it show in excess. The more time she spent away from Aurora the more she realized she could not live that way. And yet for her beastie to live by her side was impossible. Her soul belonged here, but the rest of her belonged to the kingdom of men.

For nearly a year she had sat back and watched Aurora dance and play and chat with the other fairies of the Moors. In fact most of the girl's life Maleficent had been satisfied as a spectator of her smiles and laughter. Yet now she sat back against a twisted tree in the twilight, annoyed.

"Jealous, are ya?" Diaval commented, plopping down next to her on a rock.

"I've no idea what you're going on about." Her fingers itched to turn him into a cawing bird, but Aurora had asked that she be kinder to the pesky raven.

He smirked, "It's plain as day on yer face."

"No it's not." Maleficent replied in as flat a tone as she could hold.

"Oh so now yer admittin' it?" he grinned at his cleverness.

She resisted rolling her eyes, "Go find some bread crumbs to peck at."

He chuckled and stayed sitting beside her, watching as Aurora twirled with smaller fairies flittering around her curls.

"Maleficent!" Aurora called, rushing up to her, "Dance with me!" she took one of Maleficent's hands in her own smaller ones.

"I don't think so."

Aurora plopped down in front of her, drawing the fairy's hand to her chest as she leaned forward, "Do you not like to dance?"

Maleficent was hyper aware of Aurora's proximity, of where her hand brushed the girl's collarbone. Of Aurora's breathlessness, her flushed cheeks from twirling about, the light in her curious eyes. And Maleficent was struck still there before her. Aurora was as beautiful as the day Maleficent had first brought her to the Moors, except now illuminated by the fading light of day.

"No, I don't." she pulled her hands gently away, but the disappointment in Aurora's eyes was a dagger to her heart.

"Oh, I just…wanted to do something with you." She looked away from the fairy and began to rise, but Maleficent reached out for her hand to stop her.

"Aurora, would you like to see the Moors as I do?" She stood suddenly, flexing her wings.

The girl tilted her head at the queer question, "What do you…" her eyes flickered at the movement of the fairy stretching her wings wide, Aurora's face lit up in realization of what she was being asked, "OH! Oh Maleficent you don't mean…really? You would?"

Maleficent chuckled, "Is that a yes, then?"

"Yes!"

* * *

By the time Maleficent's feet touched the grassy hill overlooking the Moors the light had slipped below the horizon and the land was now blanketed by night, just as they had been for sixteen years previous. Except now the bright, silvery moon and stars could be seen above. Carefully, she let Aurora's legs slip from the crook of her arm to the ground and the girl unwound her own arms from Maleficent's neck, her touch, the very scent of her drawing her in now that the wind no longer swept around them.

Aurora faltered, her legs still wobbly, she fell against Maleficent, the fairy catching the young queen by the waist and holding her weight easily. She could feel the warmth of the girl's body; feel her pounding heart, her uneven breath.

"That was beautiful." Aurora whispered.

"You gave the sky back to me, it's only fair that I show it to you." She replied, unable to tear her eyes from Aurora's face, her gaze lingering on pink lips.

Aurora's hands gripped the fabric of the fairy's dress from where she had steadied herself with Maleficent's shoulders; Aurora was searching her face, needing some sort of approval, some conformation.

"Maleficent, why won't you dance with me?" It came out like a sob she had been holding back, "I just need to know the truth, of what way you want me with you."

Aurora knew her too well. The girl saw right through the pathetic attempted repression of lust.

"You don't call me fairy godmother anymore." She said, in a tone Aurora did not quite recognize, it was lower, richer yet quieter.

At that Aurora looked away. They were so close though that there was nowhere to hide from the fairy's gaze.

In the daylight, it was easier. To hold hands, embrace, to talk. To exist effortlessly in each other's company. On her visits she would always leave Aurora before the sun set. After the first night she knew it was better that way.

"We won't be able to go back. I don't want…" her voice caught. If somehow, some way she hurt Aurora she could never forgive herself. A kiss on the forehead was safe, it was ambiguous. It was love without specificity, it merely was.

Aurora met her eyes once more, now confident, "Maleficent, I am not my father. It is true love between us, I know that now, no matter what form it takes, that will never change."

Maleficent's pulled Aurora closer so Aurora was flush against her and the young queen gasped, her nails digging into the cloth and feathers of the fairy's dress.

Slowly, she leaned in. Giving Aurora, and herself, the chance to object, to escape. But neither did. Aurora stretched up on her toes. "I love you." She breathed against Maleficent's lips just before they touched her own.


End file.
